xp_logs | Somewhere I Belong

A conversation with Luca, and Topaz makes an irrational decision.

Topaz was walking around her room, uncharacteristically nervous, staring at her phone. She'd locked herself in, so at least if Molly tried to come in she'd hear the key in the door and have time to hang up.

She took a deep breath and dialed the number Luca had given her.

Oddly, it was picked up almost immediately. "Topaz," said Taboo's voice, soundly relieved. "I wasn't sure you'd call."

She pressed her lips together for a moment. He sounded...happy that she'd called. "Yeah, well..." A shrug, knowing full-well he couldn't see her. "I want answers. You didn't just let the Destines believe you were dead, you let everyone. You were right there, the Destines were gone, you could've told...those people..." She was hesitant to refer to X-Force as anything else. Why? "You coulda at least them know you were alive before they took me. They wouldn't have if they'd known." Or she didn't think they would have, at least.

"I had a house dropped on me, Topaz. I was out of it for a while. By the time I woke up and dug myself out, the only people there were the police and fire brigade." Taboo sighed. "Getting away from them took a lot more effort than I had in me. Believe it or not, luv, I'm not all-powerful. Far from it."

Topaz dropped onto the edge of her bed, staring hard at the floor. "I thought you were dead." The words weren't accusing this time - just small and slightly sad. "You left me."

"I know, luv. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I just about drove myself crazy looking for you." His voice turned soothing, the father who had comforted her when she was small, back when the three of them were happy and together. "But I've found you now, haven't I? And I want things to be better again. You and me."

She'd heard that before. "You still chasin' them?" She asked quietly, fairly certain she didn't need to clarify who she meant. She didn't want to go back to that. Back to her entire life being about revenge and murder. Back to being his tool.

"No," came his reply after a moment. "I realised what I was doing, to myself, to you... your mother wouldn't have wanted that. I've had to keep a low profile to make sure they aren't going to turn up and cause us grief, but I won't drag you with me chasing after them again."

It was too perfect. That was what a voice in the back of Topaz's head was screaming, at least. He was just giving up? Just like that? But then, he had almost died...maybe he'd realized that wasn't what he wanted, despite everything he'd said before about killing them all or dying trying. Maybe he'd realized he didn't actually want to die. It was possible. People changed their minds all the time. Anyways he was right - Alice wouldn't have wanted that life for them. She would have wanted them to grieve and move on and be happy.

She still didn't know what to think. "Why should I believe you?" Was what she finally settled for saying. It wasn't accusatory or challenging - just soft. Almost a little desperate.

"Because I'm sorry, Topaz. Losing you brought it all home to me, what I'd been doing, what I'd been risking." His own voice got husky, as if talking through a rising lump in his throat. " I need my little girl with me again."

Topaz curled up, wrapping her free arm around her knees as she drew her legs to her chest. "Then prove it." It was easy for him to say all this over the phone, where he didn't have to worry about tricking her empathy. But why would he need to? A small voice spoke up. Luca's never lied to you before. "I wanna see you."

"I want to see you too, luv. But this school place... I'm not sure they'll let me in. After all, I did get you involved in some pretty shady stuff." He sounded reluctant. "I don't want to mess things up for you there."

Yeah. She tried to imagine Amanda's reaction to "my father's in town and I want to see him." She had a feeling it wouldn't go over well. "I...don't have to tell anyone," she said after a moment. "I could just...leave after everyone's asleep. No one would miss me."

"That's my girl." He sounded proud of her. "Always coming up with a plan. I'll give you the address of my motel - can you get there on your own?"

"Probably?" Topaz said uncertainly. She could probably walk, as long as it wasn't in the city or anything. "How far is it?"

"In Salem Centre. Not far from a pub called Willy's. Here, I'll give you the address, if you have a pen."

She'd never heard of the pub, but that didn't mean much. "Sure, yeah." She vaulted off the bed, grabbing the first pen she found on the desk - the one Amanda had given her for her birthday. "Okay."